Toyota Passes Milestone in Selling 5 Million Hybrid Cars
Toyota's global sales of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles have surpassed 5 million in a milestone for a technology that was initially greeted with skepticism.
Toyota's global sales of gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles have surpassed 5 million in a milestone for a technology that was initially greeted with skepticism.
General Motors really wants you to love the Chevy Volt, but the GM car everyone actually lusts after is the Camaro. Now, with automakers under pressure to improve fuel economy, GM faces a challenge -- how to update a gas-guzzling V8 icon for a greener world.
U.S. car sales just hit their highest level in four years, and that's good news for economy watchers. Falling unemployment, more cooperative lenders, and rising consumer confidence all contributed to the boom. So if you're looking to buy, what does this all mean for you?
GM CEO Dan Akerson is charged up about the politically manufactured controversy surrounding the Chevy Volt. "We did not engineer the car to become a political punching bag," he said. Tough words -- but rescuing the Volt's reputation will be a tough fight.
Last week, the auto paparazzi brought us pictures of the prototype 2013 Corvette, which will apparently reprise the classic Vette formula. But in an era of high gas prices and tightening environmental regulations, how much longer can GM's horsepower party last?
Toyota's recent recall woes may have pushed its U.S. sales lower during the past year, but they haven't stopped one popular model from setting a new milestone: The fuel-efficient Toyota Prius hybrid recently surpassed 1 million sales in the U.S.
Back in 2009, General Motors applied to the Department of Energy for $14.4 billion in loans to help it manufacture more fuel-efficient vehicles. Today, with the automaker making big strides in turning around its business, GM said it no longer needs or wants the money.
Chrysler has finally decided to jump on the hybrid bandwagon, announcing Wednesday that it is working with the EPA to develop a hydraulic hybrid powertrain for its vehicles. The system, which stores energy derived from vehicle braking as pressure, could improve fuel economy by 30% to 35%.
New models from Ford and Toyota drew the hottest interest Monday as the North American International Auto Show opened in Detroit: Each announced several electric and hybrid vehicles, including an electric Focus and a plug-in Prius.
Fuel efficiency remains the top concern among new car buyers around the world, which is likely to boost demand for hybrid and electric vehicles, according to a report from KPMG. But the survey of senior auto-industry executives worldwide also showed that many have serious concerns about such vehicles' affordability.
The auto giant announced plans Monday to extend its start-stop technology -- a feature common to gas-electric hybrids -- to its conventional gasoline-powered passenger cars and SUVs as well.
When Toyota Motor reports quarterly earnings tomorrow it will give investors the latest snapshot of how big a toll massive recalls and tepid auto sales are taking on the company's bottom line.
Addressing recent reports that Ford is looking to pull out of its partnership with Mazda, the head of the Japanese carmaker said Wednesday that the alliance remains intact. "We have an agreement with Ford," Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi said. "We are not considering alliances with others at all."
Tesla Motors has signed a $60 million contract with Toyota Motor to develop an all-electric version of the popular RAV4 compact sports-utility vehicle, Tesla said Wednesday.














